PROVIDENCE — Clarendon Group, the public-relations and lobbying firm founded by Christine Heenan, has effectively disbanded, with two of its divisions set to be absorbed by other local companies.

Effective Jan. 1, the company’s state relations and campaigns group led by Arianne Corrente Lynch — a regular presence at the State House –– will be acquired by the Providence lobbying and public-relations shop, Advocacy Solutions, LLC.

Its federal relations and health policy practice, headed up by Stacy Paterno, meanwhile, will be merged with Johnson & Associates, a small health-care consultancy where she will be a partner.

Advocacy Solutions president Frank McMahon yesterday called the Clarendon acquisition “just a good fit for us. In this economy, to be moving forward and announcing growth is good for us.”

Starting Jan. 1, Corrente Lynch will take over as the firm’s new managing director of public affairs, with Clarendon staffers John Longo and Allison Kerbel assisting her. Corrente Lynch is expected to bring several Clarendon clients with her and will work closely with the firm’s existing government relations team, according to McMahon.

Some observers had questioned Clarendon’s future after Heenan left this summer to become Harvard University’s vice president of government, community and public affairs. But the seven-year-old company soon announced that Paterno and Corrente Lynch would take over, and hired City of Providence lobbyist and special projects guru Garry Bliss to be the firm’s managing partner.

In a statement issued to clients yesterday, the company made little mention of why it was dismantling, saying it was proud of the work it has done on issues ranging from health care to housing to the environment. “We look forward to bringing Clarendon’s unique lens to our new colleagues in our new organizations…” it said.

According to Clarendon, Bliss is now lined up to accept a new job later this month, although the company would not say where he will work until details are finalized. Bliss will also continue to work on a freelance basis for the University of Massachusetts, a longtime Clarendon client.

Company spokesman Kim Keough meanwhile will take over as director of public relations at the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority.

A small handful of staffers are not yet affiliated with other companies, according to the statement.

“From its founding, Clarendon Group has been as much a family as a firm,” Heenan said in a brief interview yesterday. “A series of moves announced today protect the jobs of virtually every Clarendon employee and allow our government relations and health-care clients to experience the same service and approach, just in new environments. Today’s news is of course a bittersweet announcement, but I personally am glad that our employees and clients have strong paths forward.”

cneedham@projo.com